After a week of road nightmare in Mombasa, the County has suspended the highly criticized one-way traffic management system it introduced a week ago.
As of this morning the old flow is back to the old one-way system that actually restores the double lanes, after they had been transformed into one-way from two to even four lanes, completely changing the directions and without sufficient road signs.
In this way, from Likoni to get to Nyali it was necessary to follow an unprecedented circuit, after having been forced to turn into Haile Selassie Road, continuing towards the station and woe to those who tried to squeeze into the narrower or already one-way streets of the center. The Nyali bridge itself was practicable in an alternating direction, with queues especially of heavy vehicles that not only created congestion, but also much more smog than normal.
After a few days, to go from the same point to the same destination, the tuk tuks were already asking much higher prices than usual and this was one of the reasons that triggered the citizens' protest to the competent authorities. A protest joined by traders and motorists.
We passed through Mombasa on Monday and we can assure you that the traffic clearance plan, structured in this way, only created more confusion and did not solve the problems that the island city (like other cities in the world that cannot have a real ring road, having an outlet to the sea, see Genoa and Naples in Italy) has always had and which can be solved by creating alternative routes, at least two more bridges in Nyali in addition to the famous ring road that will be ready in August, in the intentions of the Government and that will allow transporters and travelers from the north to Tanzania and vice versa not to have to take the ferry in Likoni and then be able to skip the city.
The Mombasa County transport executive confirmed that Governor Hassan Joho has decided to reconsider the controversial urban traffic plan.
"This will give us a chance to address all the concerns and grievances raised as well as incorporate any suggestions that may be of use in implementing a lasting traffic management plan for the good of the city," Balala said. "As long as a substantial number of the population in the affected areas feel harassed, we cannot ignore their plight but must pay attention to the grievances and suggestions of the people we serve.